Tunnel Vision

Hiking to Burro Schmidt Tunnel in the Mojave Desert

Don’t expect logic from oddball desert hermits! At Burro Schmidt Tunnel, that’s to our great benefit. It took 32 years for William “Burro” Schmidt to dig through a mountain in a remote part of the north Mojave as a shortcut for taking his ore to a smelter. Long after new roads rendered it pointless, Schmidt kept at it. He finally broke through in 1938—a truly amazing feat of one-man engineering that we can readily enjoy today.

You’ll find the tunnel, plus the cabin where Burro Schmidt lived, on the northern slopes of Copper Mountain in the El Paso Range down a long dusty road in Last Chance Canyon northeast of the town of Mojave. Schmidt dug the nearly half-mile-long passage through solid granite using only hand tools and an occasional stick of dynamite. His two donkeys aided in hauling rock away—hence the nickname “Burro.”

Visitors are free to enter the tunnel. Headlamps or strong flashlights are a must—there are no lights inside, nor sunlight visible at the far end, since the tunnel makes a turn before opening up. The experience can be fearful and claustrophobic for some, but the challenge is more psychological than physical. The tunnel is structurally sound and the reward is the same far-side vista that must have delighted Burro Schmidt. You emerge onto a south-facing mountain ledge high above Fremont Valley with fantastic views of Koehn Dry Lake (a salt flat) and the El Paso Mountains.

Although most of Schmidt’s homestead has seen better days, his one-room wooden plank shack remains mostly intact. The walls and ceiling inside are covered in layers of vintage product packaging, newspapers, and magazines—some dating to the Depression era—tacked up by Burro himself for insulation.

Final note: Burro never transported any ore; the tunnel itself became his obsession.

STAY: If Burro Schmidt’s tunnel puts you in the mood for more old-time mining experiences, you can  stay overnight in an old miner’s cabin in the nearby “living ghost town” of Randsburg. Several cabins there have been renovated and are now listed as affordable vacation rentals on Airbnb, including this one.

To get to Burro Schmidt Tunnel, take CA-14 about 34 miles north of Mojave to Last Chance Canyon Rd. (EP-15) and turn right. Continue 6.3 miles and bear left when EP-15 joins EP-30. Continue 2.2 miles and turn right on Burro Schmidt Tunnel Rd., a spur that leads to the site. (Other routes require 4WD and high clearance.) Friends of Last Chance Canyon, a nonprofit group, is attempting to preserve and restore the Burro Schmidt site, which is managed by the BLM. Please be respectful and tread lightly. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

    View
  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

    View
  3. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

    View
  4. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Lava Lava

    Once a land of volcanic activity, Mojave National Preserve shares plenty about its past via a quick yet adventurous hike to the Lava Tube in the Cima Dome Volcanic Field.

    View
  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

    View
  3. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

    View
  4. Beaudry Bountiful

    There are no cars allowed on Beaudry Loop, but this 6-mile hike takes you on a wild ride. You’ll be climbing 1,500 feet up the southern Verdugos along a chaparral-lined trail with gorgeous mountain and urban vistas every step of the way.

    View